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TRANSOM ISSUE 12: the HARD TURN [Wherein Everything Comes to a Halt]

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TRANSOM ISSUE 12: the HARD TURN [Wherein Everything Comes to a Halt] TRANSOM ISSUE 12: THE HARD TURN [WhereiN everythiNg comes to a halt] angel fish Acrylic paint on Arturo paper, 18x24 inches Marbled by Steve Pittelkow FALL 2018 Poems by: Elizabeth Threadgill Kyle Valentine Alexandra Akuginow Haines-Stiles Leanna Petronella Laurinda Lind Chiyuma Elliott Jessica Cuello Sarah Gridley Margaret Reges Terrence Abrahams Molly Brodak Devanshi Khetarpal Colby Gillette Kathleen Hellen & Khal Torabully, trans. Nancy Naomi Carlson TRANSOM ISSUE 12 waved geglet Acrylic paint on black Hähnemühle Ingres paper 18x24 inches Marbled by Steve Pittelkow TRANSOM ISSUE 12 A conversation with translator Nancy Naomi Carlson Transom: What drew you to translating Torabully? Carlson: While looking online for work by francophone African poets, I came across an exciting bilingual anthology called The Parley Tree: Poets from French- Speaking Africa & the Arab World, edited and translated by Patrick Williamson. It was there that I first encountered some excerpts from Torabully’s work, whose thought-provoking themes immediately drew me in. I couldn’t resist such lines as “Is that why poetry is my real mother tongue?” and “I am Creole through my rigging, Indian by my mast, European by the yard, Mauritian through quest and French through exile.” I was vaguely familiar with the concept of indentured labor, and was intrigued by Torabully’s treatment of this compelling theme, along with its association with skin color, racism, and oppression—ideas that were important to me, especially since I had just finished translating a collection of poetry by Suzanne Dracius, a prize-winning poet from Martinique, who also writes about skin color. It was from her work that I first learned about the “black-white continuum,” and how those at the lighter end, like herself, are often marginalized in France for being “too dark,” and marginalized in Fort-de-France for being “too light.” In addition, Torabully’s use of language—his lyricism, use of Mauritian Creole, wordplay, and neologisms—sealed the deal for me. Transom: These poems are part of a larger project in which Torabully grapples with the suffering of indentured laborers (who arrived in ships that had once carried slaves) on his native island of Mauritius. Given how unfamiliar most Americans will be of the particular experiences he is articulating, how did you go about handling the ethical implications of bringing this work into English? TRANSOM ISSUE 12: NANCY NAOMI CARLSON Carlson: I think the fact that most Americans are unfamiliar with the experiences Torabully articulates increases the importance of translating this work into English. Torabully has taken the derogatory term “coolie,” and has re- visioned, re-imagined, and re-defined it to encompass the richness of transcultural exchanges. His concept of “coolitude” has much in common with Aimé Césaire’s concept of negritude. In translating his work, I was extremely careful to avoid committing racial microaggressions and perpetuating stereotypes. Indeed, Césaire praised Torabully’s work for “containing all of my humanity.” It’s this sense of humanity that gives Torabully’s work universal appeal. Does this focus on the suffering of indentured laborers take anything away from the suffering of slaves? From victims of the Holocaust? I think these tragic chapters in the history of mankind need to be brought to the fore. Transom: You have noted that his poetry is "peppered with neologisms, which makes it especially challenging to translate." Could you point to a particular moment in these poems where you faced a complex challenge, and tell us how you came to your solution? Carlson: I’m very happy you’ve raised this question, as it’s one of my favorite topics to discuss! Sometimes translating neologisms comes easily for me, but in the majority of cases it takes days or weeks to find the best solution. As Susan Bernofsky has said, “if you work hard enough, you can always figure it out.” TRANSOM ISSUE 12: NANCY NAOMI CARLSON “[Step lively seamen]” provides a good example of how I dealt with Torabully’s neologisms. In order to approximate “lèse-hommes” (an invented French term that echoes the expression “lèse-majesté,” the crime of insulting a reigning monarch), I was able to come up with my own invented English word, “lèse-men.” Coming up with an equivalent for “allège o lège lazaret,” the refrain repeated three times in the poem, was more complicated. While not technically a neologism, it was certainly wordplay at its best. I first analyzed the literal meaning, though I knew that I probably had to take some liberties with the meaning in order to bring the wordplay to life. Literally this line means something like “unload o unballasted lazaret” with “lazaret” referring to a storage locker located in the bow of a ship, which, on old ships, sometimes held the bodies of important passengers who had died at sea). Then I analyzed the French expression to discover the source of its energy. The alliteration of the letter “l” (allège o lège lazaret) stood out. More importantly, the repetition of the same sound in the context of two words with different meanings (allège o lège lazaret) seemed to drive this word play, along with the addition of the exclamation “o” to link the repetition of “lège,” which also echoed the “a” in allège. In addition, I noticed there were seven syllables in the French, plus a stress on the last syllable (lazaret). After almost two weeks of struggling with this expression, I finally landed on “avoid a void o vacant hold,” with its alliteration of “v” (avoid a void o vacant hold), its word play with “void” (avoid a void), the echoing “a” and “o” pattern (avoid a void o vacant hold). Rhythmically I was able to get the English expression down to eight syllables, ending with the stressed “hold.” Whew! Transom: You have translated many French-language authors into English. What are some of the particular pleasures of this work, for you? TRANSOM ISSUE 12: NANCY NAOMI CARLSON Carlson: As a former French teacher, I love being able to draw on my foreign language skills, as well as my background in music when translating French poetry. French is inherently musical—even when used for everyday speech. I think my being a poet helps in the translation process, and I enjoy how the work of the authors I’ve translated influences my own writing. For example, after translating René Char’s prose poems, I began to experiment with writing prose poems. I love learning about other cultures through my translation work. From translating Suzanne Dracius’s work, I was exposed to a new culture (Martinique) with its volcanic disaster in 1902 which wiped out the town of Saint-Pierre, but where people now live, despite the threat of this now-quiet volcano that looms over the city. Before translating Torabully, I probably could not have easily found Mauritius on the map. Similarly, I had no idea that Abdourahman Waberi’s homeland of Djibouti was a country nestled between Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. I’ve just started translating the work of a Congolese poet, and can’t wait to learn more about Congo-Brazzaville. Transom: The poets in this issue of Transom seem interested in carefully attending to the past, to the vestiges and evidence of what came before. So, for this final issue of the journal with Dan & Kiki at the helm, we want to ask: What are you looking forward to, in poetry? Carlson: In two words—more translations. TRANSOM ISSUE 12: NANCY NAOMI CARLSON [As in a dream begun again] for André Gérin As in a dream begun again, the ship is preceded by strange tears, its cargo of bodies delivery-bound through a bleeding horizon’s soft slit. Deep down in the hold, what eyes can discharge their despair without springing a leak on all sides? * Comme pour un rêve recommencé le navire est précédé d'étranges larmes. Il délivrera sa cargaison de corps par une douce saignée d'horizon. A fond de cale, quels yeux savent décharger leur désespoir sans faire eau de toutes parts? TRANSOM ISSUE 12: KHAL TORABULLY traNs. NANCY NAOMI CARLSON [Step lively seamen] Step lively seamen cast some ballast on top of my skin avoid a void o vacant hold where each cargoed body has grounds to hang its eyes from the bowsprit. Poor buggers— compost of luggers— with no tiny three-cornered sail to resist the wind! Avoid a void o vacant hold we are journeying lèse-men. At our feet the sun rules out shipwreck. At the slightest shade from the topgallant sail, avoid a void o vacant hold. For my only diversion, my flesh is the cordage of continents. Translator’s note: “Lèse-men” is an invented English word to approximate the French neologism “lèse-hommes.” Both terms echo the expression “lèse- majesté” (the insulting of a monarch or other ruler). TRANSOM ISSUE 12: KHAL TORABULLY traNs. NANCY NAOMI CARLSON * Soyez lestes matelots jetez du lest par-dessus ma peau allège o lège lazaret chaque corps entassé a raison d'accrocher ses yeux au beaupré. Pauvres bougres terreaux des lougres résister au vent sans petit triangle de toile! Allège o lège lazaret nous sommes lèse-hommes en voyage. A nos pieds soleil écarte naufrage. Au moindre ombrage du perroquet, allège o lège lazaret. Pour tout agrément, ma chair est gréement des continents. TRANSOM ISSUE 12: KHAL TORABULLY traNs. NANCY NAOMI CARLSON [Everything comes to a halt] Everything comes to a halt in the heart of the waves: soldiers rinse their quivers in my shifting concavities. Long before land is proclaimed their shields deflect the silk of rays onto the heads of kings. Everything comes to a halt on wrecks of ships when coal bearers bathe in the great blaze of dawn.
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